WRITTEN QUESTION P-1951/99 by Helle Thorning-Schmidt (PSE) to the Commission. Equality between registered partnerships and marriage in connection with employment regulations.
Date: 1999-10-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European official, cohabitation, equal treatment, marriage, regulations for civil servants

20.6.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 170 E/131

Answer by Ms Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(24 November 1999)

The Commission contacted the Austrian authorities on 3 September 1999 to ascertain what action had
been taken in the event that Community aid had been misused by the (cid:145)Euroteam Vienna Group(cid:146) for
training purposes and, more particularly, the corrective measures taken by the Federal Ministry for Labour,
Health and Social Affairs.

This letter has remained unanswered. According to the information available, the Vienna public prosector(cid:146)s
department is still investigating the activities of the (cid:145)Euroteam Vienna Group(cid:146) while the national audit
office ((cid:145)Rechnungshof(cid:146)) is carrying out an inspection ((cid:145)Gebarungs(cid:252)berpr(cid:252)fung(cid:146)) involving local enquiries
((cid:145)Vorortspr(cid:252)fung(cid:146)). A draft report will not be submitted until early next year.

(2000/C 170 E/158)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1951/99

by Helle Thorning-Schmidt (PSE) to the Commission

(19 October 1999)

Subject: Equality between registered partnerships and marriage in connection with employment regulations

In connection with the Staff Regulations, when does the Commission intend to bring in equality between
registered partnerships (marriage between two persons of the same sex in accordance with the relevant
Member State rules) and marriage between two persons of different sexes so that, as soon as possible,
European Community employees living in a registered partnership and their families can enjoy the same
rights under the Staff Regulations as married employees?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(26 November 1999)

In their current
form the staff regulations relating to officials and other servants of the European
Communities are specific in linking certain welfare rights and allowances to the status of (cid:145)married(cid:146) persons.
in such provision would require amendment to the text of various
Including (cid:145)registered partnerships(cid:146)
existing provisions of the staff regulations and such changes would have to take the form of a Council
Regulation. As the Honourable Member will know, differences exist in the laws of Member States in
relation to (cid:145)marriage(cid:146) and (cid:145)registered partnerships(cid:146), whether heterosexual or homosexual, as regulated and
recognised in law in some Member States.

In 1997 the Commission adopted various measures that gave some recognition to (cid:145)stable relationships(cid:146) so
as to be able to grant heterosexual and homosexual non-married couples (officials or other servants) a
number of administrative facilities that are not covered by the staff regulations and are neutral in money
terms. In this connection, the (cid:145)Williamson(cid:146) group(cid:146)s report on modernising the staff regulations suggests
that the Commission should give thought to the issue of (cid:145)registered partnerships(cid:146) and to their potential
recognition. In the light of the contents of that document, and in the context of the current deliberations
on reform of relevant parts of the staff regulations, the Commission envisages the possibility of tabling a
proposal along the lines indicated by the Honourable Member that would also take account of legislation
in the Member States.

(2000/C 170 E/159)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1956/99

by Gerhard Hager (NI) to the Commission

(5 November 1999)

Subject: Amendment of European competition law

The Commission plans to amend European competition law so that the current system of investigating
prior to authorising mergers will be transformed into one where checks are carried out subsequently. Can
the Commission answer the following questions: